


A Spoonful of Sugar

by Celandine



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: F/M, Ficlet, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-11
Updated: 2007-07-11
Packaged: 2017-10-12 03:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/120225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celandine/pseuds/Celandine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tonks has managed to be given detention at the worst possible moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Spoonful of Sugar

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ragdoll](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragdoll/gifts).



"I'm afraid not, Nymphadora." Professor Sprout refolded the note and shook her head. "Madam Pince is quite right to assign you detention this Saturday for having disrupted the other students studying in the library."

"But..." Tonks began.

Professor Sprout continued as if Tonks hadn't spoken. "You'll spend the day in the greenhouses with me, helping to repot some Mandrakes."

Tonks scowled as Professor Sprout's door shut behind her. It was completely unfair. All she had done was to change her hair into different colors; it wasn't _her_ fault if the other Hufflepuffs laughed. Bill Weasley had asked her to meet him at Honeydukes this Saturday and she'd been practicing a few shapeshifts, trying to decide what she wanted to look like. To be asked out by the Head Boy was something Tonks had daydreamed about, but had never expected to happen. Not since she hadn't even been made a prefect.

When Saturday rolled around, Tonks watched the other students going happily off to the village. Bill gave her a rueful grin and a wave, but that didn't cheer Tonks very much as she trudged off to Greenhouse Three.

"There you are. Here are the fresh pots for the Mandrakes, and a pair of earmuffs for you. I expect this will take you most of the day; stop for lunch, of course, but I want all of these repotted by tonight. I'll be in Greenhouse One if you need me for anything." Professor Sprout hurried off, the door banging closed behind her.

Crossly, Tonks set to work. She amused herself for a while by playing around with transforming her appearance, but it was difficult when she needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. By mid-afternoon, there were only a few left to do. She wiped her hand across her face, pushing up a lock of hair that had fallen into her eyes, and reached for the next pot. The door closed behind her, but she assumed it was Professor Sprout, coming to check on her work. When hands covered her eyes, Tonks nearly leapt out of her skin.

"Surprise." Bill pulled her earmuffs away. "It wasn't as much fun without you there, so I came back a bit early. I have something for you."

As his hands dropped, Tonks turned around and grinned up at him, ignoring the fact that her hair was boring mousy brown, not the glamorous pink she had intended, and that her face and robes were streaked with dirt where the Mandrakes had struggled. Bill was holding out a paper bag with the Honeydukes name stamped on the outside.

"You didn't have to do that," she said. Everyone knew that the Weasleys didn't have much allowance, and she was touched that he had bought her something.

Without pausing to consider, she put her arms around Bill and stood up on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek. Bill made a startled noise and turned his head to meet her lips.

It wasn't her first kiss, but by the time it ended, several minutes later, Tonks had decided that it was by far the best she'd had yet.

"Want to take a walk down by the lake?" Bill asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

Tonks glanced at the remaining Mandrakes with regret. "I have to finish these, first, or Sprout'll give me a second detention."

"I'll help you," said Bill, "and then we can go afterward."

She gave him another grin and passed him a spare pair of earmuffs.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ragdoll, at the request of r_grayjoy, who suggested Bill/Tonks, prompt "Honeydukes". The title is taken from the song of the same name, in the film Mary Poppins.


End file.
